By Carl O’Donnell and Alexandra Alper

(Reuters) – The U.S. government has committed to purchasing additional 180 million COVID-19 rapid tests at $1 billion. This is in addition to its $2 billion testing plan announced last September.

In December, combined purchase will quadruple US test output to 200 million per month. This was stated by Jeff Zients who is the White House coronavirus reaction coordinator.

Zients stated that they will continue to use every tool to increase manufacturing of test products. This will result in a lower cost per test, and make sure tests are easily accessible and affordable.

Zients said that the government would also increase its number of partners in pharmacies to offer free COVID-19 testing to up to 20,000 pharmacies.

In recent weeks, there has been a surge in demand for COVID-19 test results from U.S. businesses. It is also driving up the costs of state and local testing programs.

In September, The White House stated that weekly testing will be required for all employees who are not vaccinated in workplaces with over 100 workers.

September saw the United States agree to acquire $2 billion in rapid COVID-19 testing from Abbott Laboratories Celltrion Inc and (NYSE:) will ship to nursing homes as part President Joe Biden’s plan to improve vaccinations and testing.

Additionally, the U.S. government has contracts to buy tests from other manufacturers such as Quidel (NASDAQ) Corp. and OraSure Technology.

Acon Technologies also approved a home-based rapid test. The test is expected to retail at around $10 each, according to Zients.

During the briefing Dr. Rochelle Waltonsky from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that there was a drop in the number of U.S. daily coronavirus infections by 12% and an increase in hospitalizations by 14% over the past seven days.

She warned that 1,400 deaths occur every day.